An Australian is warning tourists travelling to Europe to beware of beggars who ask for money while pretending to be injured.
The woman filmed a local resident begging for money on a stool outside a restaurant on the Greek island of Paros.
The next morning, however, she saw the woman walking again, without any problems and with a crutch in her hand, through the white streets of the island.
The Australian woman shared the footage on social media and said she had given the beggar some money but felt scammed by the whole situation.
The post also attracted the attention of other tourists who had encountered the beggar or others who had used the same tactic.
“I just saw her 15 minutes ago and felt so bad thank you for this,” one person commented on TikTok.
“She did that to my boyfriend and me last year in Paros and the next day she got on the same ferry as us,” wrote a second.
A third said they saw a presumably injured male beggar climbing a hill in Europe three minutes later.
An Australian woman holidaying in Europe has warned others after she gave money to a ‘beggar’ who needed a crutch to walk (pictured), before appearing to be able to walk fine the next day
“I once saw a woman hide her other leg against a wall for money,” wrote another.
“The wall was glass and when you walked into the store you could see her other leg.”
Others sympathized with the woman, suggesting she may have a more complicated injury or that she is being forced into the scam to make money.
“I have a spinal injury. When my back acts up I have to use a cane or sometimes a wheelchair,” one person wrote.
‘But sometimes I am not entitled to benefits, so don’t judge too quickly.’
“I don’t think the government is helping. Why should you when your home country probably has problems too?” said another.
Tourists have been warning for years about beggars using the same trick at tourist attractions in Europe.
‘Once I saw a beggar with no legs. When the police came, his legs appeared out of nowhere and [he] “He started running away,” one Redditor said of his time in Prague.
Other scams tourists on the continent should be aware of include pickpocketing and taxi drivers deliberately taking longer routes or charging exorbitant amounts.
According to other tourists, the woman is often seen in the summer on the picturesque Greek island of Paros (pictured).
According to Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder, fake personal injury fraud has been around ‘for decades’ but is also ‘relatively harmless’.
“But some of these scammers can ruin your holiday if they make off with a significant chunk of your money,” Ms Megginson said. Yeah.
“If you feel like something isn’t right, it probably is. Don’t be afraid to say so, ask for time to make a decision if you feel pressured, and walk away from a situation if you feel uncomfortable.”
She added that tourists should be extra vigilant against pickpockets, advising them to carry cash in a money belt or anti-theft bag and to be careful with their belongings when traveling through crowds.